


Cigarette Burns

by ThorinBilbo



Series: The Female Reaper [1]
Category: Sons of Anarchy
Genre: Bikers, Bisexual Pride, F/F, F/M, Lots of romance, M/M, Men of Mayhem, Multi, Original Female Character is a S L U T, SOA - Freeform, Sam Crow - Freeform, Sons Of Anarchy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:15:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24888988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThorinBilbo/pseuds/ThorinBilbo
Summary: Sons of Anarchy has always been so adamant on keeping the women of Charming safe. Old ladies and Crow Eaters were to be kept in the dark, left to do nothing more than serve beer and please them. That is, until Astrid Delogne wandered into town and berated Teller-Morrow's until Clay finally gave in and forced her to endure a seven-tier trial that she eventually came out on top. Now, she is Ash, the sole female of Sam Crow. She's a pyromaniac with a thirst for drama and trouble, all the while trying to keep her head on straight. She finds herself in the middle of a war between themselves, Mayans, Nords, and now the damn ATF. | Based on Season One
Relationships: David Hale/Original Female Character(s), Multi-ship - Relationship, Original Female Character(s)/Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s)/Original Male Character(s), Tig Trager/Original Female Character(s), Tig Trager/Original Male Character(s)
Series: The Female Reaper [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1800961
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	1. Hell Burns

**Author's Note:**

> Antoine Samuels is highly based on the character Lafayette Reynolds from the series True Blood. Astrid Delogne and any other original character, however, is completely my own creation.

**[Astrid](https://i.imgur.com/opEo3hc.gif) Delogne's Point of View**

* * *

The party was in full swing. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, either swaying to Juice's playlist or taking a shot in the pool tournament that had the bets flying high into the five hundred mark. Normally Ash would participate, but she knew to lay off if Tigger was playing. He always found a way to cheat. Instead, she had made herself comfy on the sofa, a beer in her hand while the blonde beauty in her lap continued to press open-mouthed kisses over her pulse and up to her ear where she'd whisper filthy things that made Astrid's toes curl. It was a shame she couldn't recall her name. Annie, was it? Or Amy? Ally? Maybe Ashley? Astrid just knew her name had an A at the beginning. And she was good with her tongue.

Ash could spot each of her boys from here, save for Jax who had left early to make a store run and Clay who had holed himself and Gemma up in the shop's office to bump uglies against the paperwork Astrid had spent all morning on because they couldn't afford to keep ink in the goddamn printer. Tig was clutching a cue stick to himself, watching with steady eyes as Peter the Serial Porn-Watcher take up a nice lead. It wouldn't be long for Tig to quickly break that and send Peter back home to shove his hand down his pants and drown his sorrows in Cara Cara's top ten big spills. 

As for Chibs and Juice, both of them seemed just as occupied as Astrid was with Chibs in the only armchair, the redhead in his lap grinding up and down as she pulled on his earlobe with her teeth. Juice had [Naya](https://i.imgur.com/AEq9urL.gif) Filmore, a girl they often shared, pressed up against the counter with their lips furiously attached. Every few moments he'd move to her neck, giving her the perfect opportunity to capture Ash's gaze, her eyes hooded with want. She often told Astrid she was her favorite; she was a lot kinder to Naya. 

Bobby and Piney were laughing themselves silly on two bar stools, Bobby spilling half his beer bottle as he smacked Piney across the shoulder. Piney quickly pressed the nasal cannula that was attached to his oxygen tank higher into his nose to catch his breath as he laughed even harder. Astrid smiled fondly, biting her lip as the blonde beauty nipped at her sweet spot. 

Happy, who had been spending a lot of days here with the Redwood Original, seemed to be pulling two girls to the back where the only bedroom sat. Ash winced. She hoped Jax didn't return so soon from the corner store. He had been staying here at the clubhouse recently to give Wendy her space(and also to avoid her completely in the duration of her pregnancy). And Half-Sack was watching Tig and Peter, anxiously waiting for his turn. 

Ash smirked, turning back to the girl who occupied her lap to pull her into a long, deep kiss. She tasted faintly like strawberries. It reminded Ash sorely of someone as she grabbed at the blonde's thighs, practically forcing her to sit on her lap straight forward, both of the blonde's perfectly manicured hands moving up to cup Astrid's face. She could hear some of the men around them whistle in approval, making her slightly irritated, but the way Blondie bit her bottom lip quickly made her forget. 

Soon she was lost in the feel of her, her mind going blank. It was an escape from her thoughts, not that they were particularly stressful these days. She didn't have any issues with anybody, thus far. Her pockets were full both from the club and from her shifts at _Antoine's_. She also managed to fix the issue with her bike that left her almost nearly flying every time she braked. Life was great. She supposed it all had to do with the club as a whole. Mayan relationship was still shit. While Darby had been in the clink for a long while, she understood he was to be released(or he already was) and it'd be a matter of time before the meth labs were up and running again. That just meant more work for them to keep drugs from Charming's front porch. 

By the time Astrid got bored, the blonde's throat was littered with bruises, and she was sure she'd have Astrid's claw marks much more evident in her hips tomorrow. With swollen lips, she barked an order into the blonde girl's ear to fetch her another beer, because she had left hers forgotten on the ground and it had eventually spilled thanks to their eagerness. The blonde nodded, sliding off her lap and rushing to the bar to grab a bottle. 

"Hey, Ash!" Tig called from the pool table, "You want in?" 

Astrid barely noticed Peter was no longer there, and Half-Sack seemed distinctly disappointed as he hung the cue stick back up, his pockets not looking nearly as full as they had earlier. Tig was hustling everyone in the clubhouse tonight, but Astrid sure as hell wasn't going to be one of them. Grinning, she nodded and got to her feet, carefully making her way over to the pool table without toppling over Chibs and the redhead or those who were still dancing around, despite gravity making it alarmingly clear they won't be up for long. 

"Saw you tappin' Andy," Tig whispered as Astrid came into earshot, reaching up and grabbing a cue stick. _Andy! That was her name!_ That was going to bother Astrid. "Could've made room for one more, and I know you-"

"Do you really want to finish that sentence?" Ash asked, her eyebrows raised. Tig held his hands up in defense, going to rack up the cue balls for their game. "Now...are we playing for this shit you copped from Peter and the others, or is this just for fun?" Half-Sack eagerly took the seat available near the pool table, eager to see Tig or Ash get their asses handed to them. Andy also appeared with Ash's beer, looking slightly disgruntled that she was now distracted. 

"That's up to you, doll face. Do you even wanna try?" 

Ash smirked. While Tig was good at hustling pool, Ash knew she could top him. Jax and her often spent hours perfecting the moves Tig used against his opponents since he managed to snag nearly a grand from the vice-president, and nobody else was willing to try with him. Ash had eagerly stepped up to the plate, knowing her favorite version of him was when he pouted over losing. 

"Let's go, Ash!" Half-Sack cheered, pumping a fist. 

"Shut up, prospect," Tig sneered, not liking the favoritism. Half-Sack quickly shut his mouth, but he still looked like he was rooting for the female member. Andy gave up on regaining Ash's attention, popping open her beer bottle and disappearing to find somebody else. Ash didn't really care. She barely learned her name because Tig always made the effort to get every Crow Eater's name. The girls allegedly liked to get a little bite-y if you moan the wrong name when their mouth is wrapped around your nether regions. 

Tig and Ash quickly jumped into their game, the party dulling to a background hum as they tried to focus. Tig had emptied his pockets of Peter's and the others' lost cash onto a separate chair, taunting the both of them as they focused. Juice and Naya had eventually wandered over, wanting to see who came out on top of this. Juice seemed to be rooting for Tig, while Naya chanted Ash's name with Half-Sack. 

"Dude, if you lose to a chick, I ain't ever gonna let you forget it," Juice laughed, grunting when Ash purposefully jabbed her cue stick into his stomach. Naya stifled a laugh. "Only jokin', Ash. You don't really count."

"I don't count as a chick?" Ash asked, slightly offended while Tig made his shot. 

"Well, no, I just mean... Like...you're different from the other chicks. That's why you get to wear the kutte," Juice said apologetically. 

"You're both stupid pussies. And one of ya has one. Get over it," Tig grunts, cursing under his breath as he missed. Currently, he and Ash were tied. 

"I think Ash is the perfect kinda chick, though. Sam Crow with tits," Half-Sack mumbled to Juice, assuming she couldn't hear. She whipped around, her blue eyes striking. He quickly shut his mouth while Juice doubled over laughing. Naya rolled her eyes, crossing her arms as she continued to watch Ash in earnest.

"Hey, jackass, it's your turn," Tig called, lightly slapping Ash across the head. She scoffs and positions herself where she wanted, leaning over as low as she could in order to find the correct angle. Jax had said this was always her weakness. If she bent too low, her hands got shaky. Finally making her move, she elicited an angry shout as she also missed, while also giving Tig the perfect angle for his turn. 

"This is such bullshit," Ash said. 

"Get with the program, Ash. Nobody can beat me," Tig declared cockily as he made the shot Ash had predicted he would with her mistake. "Maybe I'll show you a little sympathy and buy you a new vibrator since your pocket pussy's found another contender." He nodded to Andy, who now sat in the lap of one of the guys Clay had hired a little over two weeks ago. Their lips were already locked, Ash completely forgotten from her mind. 

"You're such a dick, Tig," Ash retorts. Lining up, she aimed and cheered as she got her own in. She high-fived Half-Sack and Naya before cheerfully flipping Tig off, who couldn't suppress his laugh. This was all in good fun, truly. But they both couldn't help their shit talking. It was in their nature. Plus, it made the game a lot more fun. "Suck it, bitch."

"That's my line." Tig exclaimed, taking his turn. 

It was a moment of silence before everyone stopped dead. Ash's grin instantly disappeared, looking around in sudden confusion. The music still blasted, though now not with hearty conversations, laughter, and light moans to follow. 

"Cut the music!" Tig ordered. Half-Sack ran and switched off the speaker, putting them in complete silence. However, there wasn't another sudden boom that startled the world outside. Still, they were far too experienced to know there was something wrong. Tig and Ash quickly abandoned their game, making a run for the exit with Juice on their tails. That seemed to cue everyone to get on their feet and follow. 

Tig shoved the door open with a closed fist, ignoring the impact it made on the outside wall as he dashed out onto the pavement with Ash and Juice not far behind. The noise wasn't just their imagination, it would seem, because the lights in the office from the shop suddenly switched on and Clay had rushed out, hastily pulling up his pants to see what the hell all the commotion was about. Gemma wasn't far behind, her hair extremely messy.

For a moment, Ash figured it was nothing more than a car malfunctioning or a bad car crash they'd have to tow later until Clay shouted an angry curse, stomping his foot furiously. Tig finally saw what was going on, facing it directly. Seeing Ash stumble around in confusion, he simply grabbed her by the chin and forced her in the right direction. Her eyes widened. She was absolutely dumbfounded. 

"SON OF A BITCH!" Clay's voice rang out into everyone's vicinity. 

"Is that-?" Juice began to ask. 

"Yeah...yeah, that's the gun warehouse," Ash answered weakly. 

* * *

The roar of the bikes were deafening. Astrid's helmet did little to keep her ears clear from the men around her, each of them making quick haste to get to whatever remained from the warehouse that burned overnight. Tig had insisted they go then, but Clay wanted to put it off. There was nothing they could do to put out the flames, and if the cops(namely, Hale) caught them snooping around, they could be charged with arson or unfairly interrogated for what was inside said warehouse despite knowing exactly what. 

It didn't take long to arrive on the scene, which was already crawling with firemen as well as the sheriff himself. They rolled up as close as they could get without disturbing the peace(if there was even peace to begin with), getting up at once to go greet him. Astrid shook her hair free from the helmet, leaving it to hang off the handlebars before shoving her hands deep into her hoodie pockets she wore underneath her kutte. The weather definitely didn't call for any extensive clothing wear, but Ash didn't feel like dressing that morning. She just wanted to get to the warehouse, so she just threw on a bra with the hoodie over it before grabbing her keys and leaving. 

There was nothing to speak of. It was nothing but ruins. Black ash and debris littered the grass, leaving them with no guesses as to what occurred. Couldn't blame it on the weather, a faulty electrical wire, or even just a misplaced cigarette. This was calculated. This was on purpose. Just the thought of someone hurting them like this made Ash go hot with anger. 

They approach Sheriff Trammel as a group, but Clay takes the lead. 

He knows it's not Trammel's fault, but his fury can't help but boil over as he asks, "What the hell was it?"

Trammel looked troubled, but he answered anyway, "Looks like the propane tanks caught fire. Ammo inside, place just blew." Ash shook her head angrily, spitting at the ground in disgust. Jax reached up and squeezed her shoulder considerably, his face telling her to keep it calm and let Clay handle this to the best of his ability. 

"Fire dick says it was definitely arson. Found a bunch of boot prints," Trammel explained, hands heavy on his hips. Ash quickly perked up. The rest of the club did, too. 

"Cowboy boots?" Bobby asked as a way to confirm. 

Trammel nods. "Yeah, I think so." 

Tig shook his head, saying exactly what everyone already knew, "Shit-eatin' Mayans, man." Of course. Who else would have the balls to pull something like this off? Alvarez was a smart bastard, and he knew how to hit where it truly hurt. But that didn't make up for what they all questioned. How the hell did the Mayans figure out the warehouse's whereabouts? Nobody's been spouting shit as far as Ash knew. She sure as hell kept her trap shut, even with [Antoine](https://i.imgur.com/S9YvYJv.gif), who she normally told everything. It had to be an outside source, someone that wasn't on good terms with the Sons. 

"Where the hell was Rodrigo?" Jax asked. Rodrigo was the man they hired as somewhat of a watchman to prevent situations like this. Given there was no forensic team at the scene currently, a body has yet to be discovered. But, even in that case, Trammel could've hauled him off to prevent a case in order to cover the Sons' hide. 

"No sign of your watchman." Trammel shrugged, throwing all of Ash's theories out the window. 

They continued through the wreckage, Ash being mindful not to trip and fall. She did, however, lean down and pick up what looked to be a burnt out glock that might shrivel up if she squeezed it too tightly. She held it out for Juice to see, who grimaced. Everything was completely wrecked. Who knew how long it would take for them to fix this? 

"What's the exposure?" Clay couldn't help but ask. 

"Officially, just me and the county FD. Fire Captain can be convinced to rethink his report," Trammel slyly slid his index finger and thumb together, mimicking a sort of money gesture. 

"Unofficially?" Jax went on. 

"The blast was seen in two counties. This location's dead."

"Which means we can guarantee David Hale's seen it," Ash announced, taking everyone's attention. "And we all know how much he loves to ride our ass. He's about to have a fiesta with this shit." David Hale, to put it bluntly, was the modern version of Captain America. He was a self-righteous deputy on the verge of becoming Chief since Unser was apparently tossing in the towel. He loathed the Sons and Astrid in particular. He didn't want to turn the other cheek when it came to their private actions. In fact, Ash wouldn't be surprised to see police units lined up outside of _Teller-Morrow's_ as soon as he's patched in. 

"Awe, shit," Tig whined.

Clay shook his head, before he suddenly realized something. Whipping back around to Trammel, he demanded, "The M4's?" 

Trammel winced. He must've been hoping this question wouldn't be asked. "Gone. Most of the glocks, too, excluding the reject in her hand." He pointed to the one Ash was still holding. She quickly discarded it, as though she didn't know what he was talking about. Clay rolled his eyes and turned back to him. 

Finally, he snaps. He kicks at the bigger objects from the explosion, damaging the area even more. The rest of them backed up, deciding to give him the room he needed in order to calm down. Jax was already pulling a wad of cash from his pocket and counting out bills as he spoke to Trammel under his breath, "Get the fireman on board. Don't want this shit hitting ATF's radar." 

Trammel nodded, taking the money. "Before you guys leave, though...there's something you should see."

"I really hope it's his dick and not somethin' that's just gonna ruin the mood even more," Ash mumbled as they followed him. 

"Is there anything other than dick on your mind, though?" Juice asked. 

"Pussy." 

Trammel leads them a bit further into what used to be their warehouse, setting aside wooden planks and carefully maneuvered metal doors before opening what seemed to be their old utility hatch. Ash elicited a tiny yelp, clapping a hand to her mouth to muffle the noises. The two Mexican women she recognized from just a few days prior were curled up together and burnt to a crisp, dead. She quickly shielded her eyes, turning away from the awful sight. 

"Goddamn," Clay commented wryly, "Fried and refried." 

"Illegals," Tig explained, "Part of our assembly crew."

"Now a part of a new graveyard," Ash reminded, her back still turned. "What the hell are we gonna do?"

"Don't worry," Trammel tried to assure, "I got to them before FD came through."

"Poor bitches must've crawled in there to hide," Bobby said.

"Jesus," Jax said, running a hand down his face, "they were baked alive." 

"This shit just keeps getting better, don't it?" Clay laughed before pulling Trammel close. "Smoke clears, get rid of the bodies." Jax hurries to hand Trammel more cash. With that in mind, they finally turn to leave, Ash feeling sick to her stomach. Once more, however, the sheriff decides to stop them with an even more troubling thought to take home with them. 

"What do I tell our friends in Oaktown? Supposed to deliver five cases to Laroy and his crew tomorrow night."

He was talking about the One-Niners, another club the Sons of Anarchy were relatively okay with. Ash liked them well enough. She liked a few of their members more than enough. But she knew how bad Laroy could get if something screws with the business deal. He's a straightforward kind of guy. He hates to beat around the bush. 

"Call 'im on the 'gangsta' hotline. Set a meeting," Clay orders. Finally, they are allowed to depart. Ash rubs her temples with both hands, trying to get the dead Mexican chicks out of her mind. They were very sweet, from what she remembered. They treated the Sons very well(especially Tig); they definitely didn't deserve to go down like that. Killing women and children went against everything the Sons of Anarchy stood for. The fact that the Mayans went against that, even unknowingly? It was horrific. 

"You good?" Tig asked, noticing Ash's mental dilemma.

"Peachy," Ash said. "Our warehouse is gone, along with half our guns, and now we got two bodies and a missing one." Tig sighed and threw an arm around her shoulders, squeezing it gingerly as an attempt to comfort her. "Do I sound like that big of a pussy?" Tig uttered a laugh, now comfortable knowing her humor had returned. She wasn't down for long, unless it concerned her specifically. 

"The biggest," Tig joked as they got back to the line of bikes. 

"Bobby! Tigger! You're with me. Let's go see the black beauty," Clay ordered, clipping his helmet back on. 

"I need to hit the bar and then I'll get back to the garage. Who's tailing me?" Ash asked out loud. She needed to tell Antoine about the situation. If Mayans had anything to do with an attack on the Sons, she preferred to let him know in case shit went down and he needed to prepare. 

"I got you," Juice called loyally. 

Ash sent him a thumbs up before slipping on her helmet and kicking her bike into life, something she affectionately called Dolly after the beautiful and legendary Dolly Parton. Saluting a goodbye to the others, she and Juice peeled down the road that led into town, hoping to catch _Antoine's_ and then hit the garage where everyone else would be. 

The warehouse remains slowly disappeared in her mirrors, leaving her with a weight at the pit of her stomach. She had a bad feeling about all of this. 

This was just the beginning, and she knew it.


	2. Secret Burns

**[Astrid](https://i.imgur.com/UfliEV3.gif) Delogne's Point of View**

* * *

Antoine Samuels was, to put it bluntly, Ash's closest friend. He was a mean bitch, but she trusted him with her life. He was the first person to welcome Ash into Charming when she first wandered here with nothing but a duffel bag full of clothes and a Ho Ho clutched in her hand that she was supposed to portion if she couldn't get a place. He was born and raised in southern Louisiana to two Catholic parents that groomed him to be the perfect father and husband to a willing wife and mother. To their dismay, Antoine grew up to be quite the opposite. 

He was a broad shouldered muscled kind of guy with dark skin and wide brown eyes. He's never been seen without his sleeveless shirts, khaki shorts, freakishly expensive sneakers, along with the jewelry he often stuck into his ears or around his neck. He had a few tattoos on his bicep, but they were just cartoonish figures. The thing that truly made him stand out was the eye make-up he had perfected over the years, something Ash was bitter about because she couldn't even do a simple cat eye. He always had fake eyelashes on standby along with glittery eye shadow and eyeliner that made his eyes truly pop. He was considered to be very attractive, but his appearance, along with his choice of make-up, often put him on the opposite end of certain people in Charming that proudly brandished their racist and anti-gay propaganda. But Darby and his men knew better. As feminine as Antoine was, he had been a boxer in high school, and he still worked out every week. If he had to knock a few teeth in, he would. 

He'd been in Charming for a little over ten years before Ash came along. At the time he was just seen as the intimidating owner of Charming's famous bar that was named after him(she felt that was a little narcissistic, but who was she to judge?). After thwarting her attempt at a dine and dash, he made a rare move by hiring her as a waitress to make up for it. And after that he took her into his own home, tired of leaving the bar and seeing her slinking around the back to sleep on her bag. He still claims that he practically just took her in as a pet, but she knows he loves her very much. They remain today as roommates. He was still a mean bitch, though. 

After leaving what was left of the warehouse, Ash and Juice took the route into town past the garage and towards the bar that was still as popular today as it was four years ago when Astrid attempted to steal from it. Louisiana cuisines were to die for thanks to Antoine, and his wide variety of drink options kept the drunks in there past midnight. Despite it being noon, they could still see a lunch rush piling up with several vehicles in the parking lot, some even lining up along the curb. Ash was grateful she didn't have a shift until tomorrow. 

They decided to park in the back to avoid any car doors getting too close, slipping off their helmets and slinking around the side toward the entrance. She could already hear the reruns of Antoine's favorite country music blasting through the speakers throughout the establishment. But it was more like background noise compared to the loud conversations from his many patrons that took over every table, booth, and bar stool. Again, Ash was extremely grateful she didn't work today. 

Antoine had a total of four women that worked the front, including Ash. The rest remained in the kitchens preparing the meals. The uniforms for the gals consisted of tightly fit black t-shirts with the bar's logo across the right side, black shorts, and the employee's choice of sneakers. There were three waitresses and one bartender. The bar wasn't too big, so he didn't need much more than that. Each day required at least two waitresses(the bartender always remained the same). 

The other two gals that ran around serving people were [Gertie](https://i.imgur.com/mWThjCu.gif) and [Elyse](https://i.imgur.com/PN5C3Q6.gif), two of the most judgmental bitches Ash knew. They loathed her. Gertie was the prettiest of the two in Ash's opinion. She was very tall and muscled with naturally tanned skin. Her eyes were angular and a dark hazel coat. She had a shapely chest and ass, which meant she was the waitress that received the most tips. Elyse was pretty all on her own, with light green eyes and sun-kissed skin. While she was naturally a brunette, she kept her hair dyed blonde. She was far shorter than Gertie, standing about the same height as Ash. Astrid felt the two shared a brain cell. They loved to gossip with each other while they worked, mostly about Ash. They'd been here longer than her, so they were a little frustrated at the favoritism Antoine seemed to give her. But Ash didn't care. 

The one bartender _Antoine's_ had was [Jane](https://i.imgur.com/YBdOasM.gif) Jones. She was the only woman in the world, other than Gemma Teller, that scared the shit out of Ash. She was unemotional and melancholy, which also pushed Antoine into her being a bartender instead of a waitress. She was unapproachable, and it was difficult to get more than one or two words out of her. She didn't really like Ash all that much either, but she didn't whisper about her as she passed like two high school bitches that were stuck in the mindset of popular verses unpopular. She was a tiny petite brunette with dark brown eyes and thin pink lips. She had pale skin, giving off the impression she wasn't even from California, a place where everyone got tans. Sometimes Ash believed she was a vampire. She's never, ever smiled as far as Astrid knew. 

She and Juice stood out like a sore thumb. Their kuttes immediately drew the gazes from a couple of families or guys looking to get a bite to eat. Gertie and Elyse, who were in the process of delivering a platter of steaks to a few construction workers, lightly scowled in Ash's direction. Jane, who was simply wiping down glasses with a white rag, paid no attention to her nor her tag-along. As Ash stated before, the bitch was creepy. Ash brushed them all off, nodding to Juice and leading him toward the one hallway that divided the bar from the tables and booths. 

There were five doors here. One led to Antoine's office where he spent his time getting the bills paid and going over inventory. Two were for the men and women's restrooms respectively. Another, at the very end, was the exit they used to take the garbage out or take a smoke break. The last door, which was the only one on the right, led right into the kitchen. 

It was bustling with activity. The cooks were sweating, quickly moving and maneuvering around each other as they tried to prepare the many meals as fast as possible. She spotted Antoine easily since he was the only one of the bunch that didn't wear a uniform(they were required to wear a white t-shirt and work pants, along with an apron and hairnets). He had on a purple sleeveless shirt with golden lettering on the front. As always, he was clad in khaki shorts and nice shoes that truly popped. As always, he had on the best eye make-up with golden eye shadow to match his shirt. He didn't acknowledge Ash or Juice as he suddenly snatched a white sheet of paper with Gertie's untidy scrawl on it.

"Alright, I gots crawfish with tomato sauce and white rice. Hold off on the peppers. Poor bitch can only handle one spice...salt," he said, making the cooks around him laugh fondly as they got right on that. He pinned the order on the kitchen hood above one of the many stoves. There seemed to be about twenty orders they were working on, and that was because Ash knew Gertie and Elyse were writing down more. 

"You think Antoine would mind if I snag a piece of chicken?" Juice asked curiously, his mouth watering. Ash had to admit, it smelled divine back here. 

"Yes, the hell he would mind," Antoine said loudly, making them both jump. He had his hand on his hip, glaring heavily at the two of them. "Why you two dumbasses up in my shit? You got the day off. Scoping out your work's a little sad." 

"I needed to talk to you," Ash said simply. 

"It can wait. I'm busy," Antoine quickly dismissed her, turning around as one of the cooks held out a plastic spoon for him to taste. There was a giant pot of gumbo stewing on one of the stoves. Antoine took the spoon and quickly downed it, smacking his lips obnoxiously. "Add a little more paprika. Maybe about a pinch. A pinch, you hear? Any more and you'll screw it up." The cook nodded and returned to his station. Antoine noticed Ash and Juice have yet to move from their spots in the doorway. "Is busy not in your limited vocabulary or what? Two syllables too much for you?"

"Screw you," Ash glowered. "Seriously, Antoine, it's important. Club business."

There was a pause in everyone's actions as they quickly looked from Ash and Juice to Antoine. They quickly resumed, however, not wanting him to snap at them for being distracted. Even if it was Ash's fault. Antoine chewed on his tongue, observing Ash and Juice closely before he finally mumbled a curse and waved one of his men over. Hissing orders quietly into his ear, he left him to it and strode towards Ash and Juice, ushering them back into the hallway. 

"C'mon," he grunted. 

Antoine didn't hate the Sons, per se. Him and Clay were on very good terms, especially since him and John practically helped jump-start the business. But that also meant he was forever in their debt, and that meant complying to every motion they made. When Ash practically forced herself into the club, he made it very clear he didn't like the idea. That put him even further in Clay's clutches, while also having to worry every night whether or not Ash would return home safe and sound, or as safe and sound as she could get. 

He led them toward his office door, taking out a silver key from his pocket and unlocking it. The three of them quickly stepped inside, shutting the door behind them. The office was very small. A desk practically took up all the space. It was messy with paperwork, a calculator, and many files. It was a system, according to Antoine. If anyone screwed with the system, they'd be fired and murdered. He took the only seat available on his computer chair. Crossing his legs, he leaned back and studied Ash and Juice carefully. 

"What the hell is it?" he asked finally, already sounding exhausted from the thought of it. Ash knew he would react this way. 

"Mayans, man," Juice spoke for Ash. He crossed his arms over his chest, dislodging any amount of Juice-related humor. The Mayans were never a joking matter, even for him. "Blew up our gun warehouse." It didn't bother the club that Antoine knew things other people didn't. He kept their secrets, and he even harbored some damage in the name of Clay Morrow and his men. That gave him access to the forbidden knowledge most people would shy away from. "Everything's gone. Took M4's...glocks...killed two women in the process."

"That was the explosion last night?"

Ash nodded. "Bit of a big message. Big question is who the hell gave away the location?"

"Don't look at me, I ain't know shit."

"I wasn't implying-"

"I know you wasn't, but I wanna take that idea from the table before it even gets there. Now why are you tellin' me this? Guns don't have nothing to do with me," Antoine asked. Juice looked up at Ash. She'd be able to describe it better since it was her idea to come here in the first place and let Antoine in on what was going on. 

"Because if the Mayans are willing to blow up a goddamn warehouse, I wouldn't underestimate them when it comes to something a little more personal. Look...just be on the lookout on who walks in those doors. I'm not saying typecast every Mexican that walks through those doors. But if you know for sure they're Mayan. You give me a call. Best case scenario, I'll be waiting tables on the day they do," Ash instructed, hands snugly on her hips. "I don't want them knocking down your doors. It ain't got shit to do with you. But this can mean the start of a fight."

Antoine looked at her for a long time. Then he suddenly jerked his head toward Juice. "Mind givin' us a minute, short-stack?" 

Juice smiled awkwardly. "Yeah, sure. I'll wait outside for ya, Ash." Astrid nodded to him. He opened the office door and disappeared back into the hallway, quickly shutting it behind him. The smell of food briefly wafted into the office, making Ash even hungrier than she was before. But she could sense an argument about to brew between herself and Antoine. And as much as she loved him, she will always take the club's side. 

"Thought I made it clear I wanna keep my bar and my ass separate from the Sons of Anarchy bullshit? Clay's as welcome as anybody come wine and dine, but if my shit gets screwed up because you crossed the wrong man, where does that leave me?" 

Ash bit back an automatic retort. It was always an instinctual reaction to talk down anyone that degraded the club. But this was Antoine. This was her best friend, Antoine. She had no right to speak to him that way, not after all he'd done for her. "I know, but...sometimes my personal life and the club mold together. Unfortunately for you, you're a part of that. I promise I won't let anything happen. You have my word."

"Your word don't mean shit when it concerns Alvarez of the Mayans MC swingin' his dick to prove a point. He blew up the home of your moneymaker. Say Clay tries to outdo the bastard and ends up screwin' me over in that process. You already piss off every rival club to begin with just for bein' you." 

That was true. While the Redwood Original had made their peace four years ago when Ash forced herself into the life of being a prospect, it was very difficult to appeal to other clubs without it seeming like she was some kind of security blanket to Sam Crow. In their eyes, Clay took in a woman just to make them hesitate any serious hits. Hurting women wasn't really their cup of tea either, but Ash has done her best to prove she can take a punch or two. She wouldn't have done this if she wasn't willing to get hurt in the process. 

"Like I said, I won't let that happen. It might not even happen. I just wanted to take the precaution, alright?" 

Antoine sniffed angrily, before getting to his feet. "Alright. But I want my name and my bar out of anyone's mouth. Don't tempt them."

"I would never. You know that." 

Antoine finally seemed to relax slightly, pulling Ash in for a tight hug before quickly pushing it away because it became too sappy. Clearing his throat, he pushed the computer chair back toward the desk and took out his silver key to lock the office back up again. Taking the hint, Ash walked out into the hall, seeing Juice calmly leaning against the wall, hands in his pockets. Antoine followed her out, pausing to lock the door. 

"Alright, bitches, times for y'all to leave. I gotta get these orders done. Thanks for stoppin' by," Antoine said, the conversation resuming to normal. Juice, oblivious to Antoine's disdain toward the club, bid him a grin and a goodbye before moving to the back exit with Ash behind him. She gave him a wave and followed Juice, feeling the hot California air as soon as they were outside. She quickly walked over to Dolly, climbing on. 

"Hey, Ash," Juice called excitedly. 

"What?"

"I snagged some chicken crispers."

"Oh, shit!"

Juice suddenly pulled his hands from his pockets, showing her the handfuls he had stolen. If Antoine found out, he'd castrate him and hang Ash by her hair over a bridge. She quickly took a few, popping them into her mouth. They tasted perfect, as all of Antoine's dishes did. Kicking Dolly into life and slipping on her helmet, she began to move it back so they could hit the road and get to the garage. Juice was quick to finish off the remaining crispers before putting on his own helmet and following her. Soon enough, they were back on the road and setting their directions to _Teller-Morrow's_.

* * *

As they pulled in, Ash could tell Clay, Tig, and Bobby still hadn't returned from their meeting with the Niners. Instead, the garage was rampant with activity, most of their employees moving around and fixing the fixer-uppers and pulling in the undesirables. The one car that stood out to Ash was one that appeared like it got rammed by a forklift. The windshield had a big gaping hole with dried blood surrounding the ring and what was left of the hood. She grimaced, walking inside the clubhouse with Juice right behind her. 

"Finally you two little shites are here!" Chibs welcomed from the bar, swinging around a bottle as he came to greet them. He threw his arms around Ash, kissing her temple before playfully rubbing Juice's head. "What took y'all so long?"

"Had to make a pit-stop at the bar," Ash explained. "I take it you know what happened with the warehouse?"

"Jackie-Boy filled me in, yeah. Total shite situation, all the same. Once Clay's here, we can probably go into more details," Chibs said. 

"What happened with the Beamer? We got a stiffy laying somewhere in the garage?"

"No!" Half-Sack, who had helped Long John push a large cardboard box underneath the pool table. He leaned against it, sending Ash a proud smile. "A deer. I got it out...with a chainsaw."

"Did you now?" Ash asked, smiling as she disappeared behind the counter to grab herself a beer. "What'd it smell like?"

"Your nasty pussy," Chibs teased, making her throw a white rag at his face in retaliation. 

"Where is Jax, anyway?" Ash asked, leaning down and grabbing a bottle for her and Juice. She quickly slid one towards him as he took the seat beside Chibs. 

"The back. Little pissy that Happy had his fun, but he seemed a little distracted, anyway. Probably worryin' 'bout the guns," Chibs shrugged. Ash's eyebrows crinkled at that. He didn't seem that troubled at the ruins. He just seemed to want to get out of there as soon as possible, but she decided not to question it as she popped open her bottle and took a swig. 

"Half-Sack! Toilet's clogged again." Piney suddenly appeared, holding a newspaper in his hand as he approached to sit at the bar, too. Half-Sack deflated quickly. 

"C'mon, man," he whined, no longer standing in pride at the fact he got a deer carcass out of a car.

Long John laughs, patting him on the back. He paused for a minute, before asking, "Where'd you get that name, Half-Sack?"

"Why do we ask questions we don't want the answer to?" Ash huffed, sliding on top of the counter and crossing her legs neatly. "If you got a name like that, you just don't ask questions."

"Just curious, sweetheart. Had no issues asking 'bout my name a week ago," Long John teased. Ash quickly shut her mouth, going red in the face. Juice and Chibs snorted, covering their mouths. Piney just rolled his eyes. 

"Uh, I, uh...had my left nut blown off by an aper frag in Iraq," Half-Sack began to explain, unbuckling his jeans and pulling them down so they could see. Despite her initial disdain, Ash couldn't help but lean over so she could see past Long John. She tilted her head. It didn't look...too weird. "We were comin' up over-"

"Jesus Christ, put that deformed nut bag away!" Clay snapped. He, Tig, and Bobby had suddenly returned. Ash couldn't help but laugh as Half-Sack made a rush job at pulling up his jeans and re-buckling his belt. 

"Sorry, man," Half-Sack blushed. 

"Disappear," Tig grunts, looking from the prospect to Long John. They both nodded, making a quick move to disappear out the back. 

"Find Jax," Clay jerks a finger in the general direction of Ash, Chibs, and Juice. They were gonna hit the table. Ash sighed, downing the rest of her bottle and reaching a hand out toward Chibs. 

"Help me down," she ordered softly, before burping crudely. He snorted and got up, giving her a hand so she could step down. 

"I'll get our prince," Ash said, slapping him lightly on the arm. "Y'all go take your spots." The two men and Piney nodded, getting up from their stools and disappearing into the church. Everyone was tossing their phones into the cigar box available. Ash slipped down the hallway, past the impossibly blue motorcycle that had belonged to the late John Teller. Given that Ash has only been Sam Crow for four years, she never met the guy. But she's heard every story possible. He seemed like a real kick-ass kind of dude. 

She got to the door that led into the room, not bothering to knock. Throwing open the door, she stepped inside with confidence, only to be met with Jax hastily tossing things under his comforter frantically, obviously not expecting someone to barge in. Of course, Ash never had much sense for common courtesy. She did, however, try to look guilty. 

"Damn it! Ain't no one teach you how to knock?" he snapped angrily. 

"No," she answered truthfully. "You hidin' your vibrators or somethin'?" 

Jax didn't look amused. "What do you want, Ash?"

"We're at the table, Jax. Clay and the others are back."

"Fantastic. I'll be there when I'm ready. Can you go now?" 

Astrid threw up her hands in surrender, spinning around and quickly exiting. Her mind was swimming. What did Jax have to hide? She could've sworn she saw a journal of some sort before he threw the blanket to cover whatever evidence was available. But that was stupid. Why the hell would he want to cover that? Astrid shook her head, going to dump her cellphone in the cigar box once she came back into the barroom. Trying to disregard what just happened, she entered the chapel. 

"I'm here, bitches," she greeted, slipping around the table to take her regular spot between Bobby and Juice. "Jax is on his way."

Sure enough, Jax came only a few minutes later, quickly shutting the doors to ensure the privacy before taking his seat. He tried to shoot Ash an apologetic look for the way he had reacted, to which she gave a simple nod. That's as far as he'd go. He wouldn't apologize verbally. His pride wouldn't allow it. Everyone quickly grew silent, waiting patiently for Clay to begin.


	3. Family Burns

**[Astrid](https://i.imgur.com/bQ1u2b2.gif) Delogne's Point of View**

* * *

The room was quiet. The club waited patiently for Clay to speak, all keen on knowing what to do with the Niners and Laroy. Juice elbowed Ash; she turned and saw him offering a cigarette, to which she accepted gladly and allowed Bobby to light. It calmed her relatively, pushing her nerves away for the time being as she leaned back in her seat and discarded of the ashes already forming discreetly. 

"Got one more day out of Laroy," Clay said at last, "that's it. Niners got a huge heroin shipment coming in, carbines are for protection."

Well, that was shit. But better than nothing. Ash snorted, using her free hand to rub the bridge of her nose. 

"And what happens if the Mayans crash the dope party with Laroy's M4's?" Bobby, from Ash's right side, asked. 

"We lose all the Niner business. Buy ourselves a huge black beef," Jax stated bluntly. They all stop dead when Clay suddenly slams his fist down. Ash slightly flinched, but she quickly recovered and took another drag from her cigarette. She was used to his sudden outbursts. It wasn't anything she hadn't seen before. Still, seeing a big man like Clay as furious as he could get could rile anyone. 

"That's not gonna happen. These Mexi assholes came into our territory, stole from us, shit on our livelihood." Clay declared. Everyone nodded in agreement, steadily growing angrier. "I don't care who we have to grease or kill. I want those goddamn guns back."

"Me and Chibs'll pull together all our current intel on the Mayans. Juice, start hacking crime datasbases, get addresses on any Mayans in the system," Jax ordered, taking off with Clay's energy. Juice nodded curtly, while Chibs raised his cigarette up to Jax as if agreeing with him. "Ash...think you can get Antoine on board with a bit of roughin' up on a certain group enterin' the bar?"

"Way ahead of you," Ash grinned. "Filled Antoine in with the necessary details. Says he'll contact me if he sees anything. Best case scenario, it happens when I'm working." Everyone nodded to her.

"Wherever we find those guns," Clay continued, pointing toward Bobby in particular, "I want to Fat Man and Little Boy every goddamn inch of that place." 

"Bobby's got Tahoe this weekend," Jax intercepted, clapping Bobby across the back. Ash grinned. She loved seeing Bobby dressed up. The jumpsuits and wigs were enough to both turn her on and get her to laugh. That was partly the reason she wasn't allowed at his shows anymore. That, and she's been caught sleeping with a few birthday boys' dads. Turns out that's bad for business. But she always made sure to reimburse him for the money that wasn't given to him on account of the wives not appreciating it. 

"I'll cancel that shit," Bobby quickly offered, but he was met with many protests. 

"You got two ex-wives who already spent that casino check. Last thing we need are PIs and lawyers camping out front," Clay scoffs. 

"If I don't do it, who's gonna handle the pyro?" Bobby asked. 

"Me, obviously," Ash smirked, only to be met with even more persistent and shocking rejections. She shrunk down in her seat slightly. "Why can't I do it?"

"For one thing, when you blow shit up, you tend to not pay attention on who's around, including your dumbass self," Tig reminded. 

"Plus, it's never controlled. Odds are you'll both kill us and everyone in a thirty mile radius." Jax added. 

"What can I say? I like fire," Ash mumbled. That, she did. She used to be the one that handled the shit like this, but as Tig and Jax had said, she often got a little carried away. Seeing the gathering flames and the way it both illuminated and warmed her up...it was something she often craved. Of course, it only occurred when she started the fire. If anyone else did it, she was completely fine. Ash was sure if she had to imagine her death, it was to do with the hottest and most dangerous element. 

"Who else can do it?" Tig asked. 

"Nobody blows shit up better than Opie," Clay suggested. 

"Op's leaning right these days," Jax said, slightly offhand. Opie was probably the most mature of the Redwood Original. He was someone you could go to when you needed a shoulder to cry on or someone to talk you out of doing something stupid. Ash hardly knew him. He just recently got out of the clink after a five year sentence; while he was still considered a member, he was hardly seen. He's been spending time with his head down and working to provide for his family. He liked Ash well enough. He had found it pretty interesting and inspiring that a girl was now a part of the club, but their interactions would only go so far. 

"He'll lean any way we need him to. Get him on board," Clay immediately demanded, pointing a scathing finger in Jax's direction. And with that final thought swimming, he got to his feet and allowed everyone to do the same. The meeting had concluded. Ash slipped out of her seat and managed to catch Jax before he slipped out the door. 

"Do I even need to say it?" she asked. 

"Don't go askin' shit you don't need the answer to," Jax said, waiting for everyone to leave the chapel before he spoke to her. "It's nothing. You just startled me."

"Jax, I just figured out ten minutes ago that you can even read. Now, what was it? You can tell me. I'm a steel trap," Ash pleaded. It was going to eat at her if he didn't say anything. Ash blamed her nosiness on Gemma. She hated when secrets would swap without her being a part of it. Besides, what the hell was the harm in her knowing? It's not like she was going to crucify him. It wasn't like he was doing anything to hurt the club. 

Jax licked his lips in annoyance. She wasn't going to give it up; he had to know that. 

"I found something...in the family storage unit," he said at last, his shoulders sinking. She could see slight relief in his eyes, however, like he was glad to finally be telling someone else about this. "Has to do with my old man, alright? Something he wrote about the club."

"Okay...why is that so bad?"

"Never said it was, but...look, what's written in it is nothin' but a ghost spouting misery over his own descent into hell. My old man loved to write, and if anything, it was just a bunch of regrets from getting to that age over the hill," Jax sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than Ash, but she let him vent. "Look...don't tell anyone. I mean it." 

"Like I said, steel trap. Unlike my legs," Ash joked, making him grimace. The two finally exited the chapel, laughing together and being completely nonchalant. Jax's worries over his father's words from the dead were drowned out by the laughter from the rest of the club as they cracked open a few cold ones and melded into friendly conversation again. That is, until something suddenly wafted up Ash's nose. 

"What the hell is that?" she hissed, clapping a hand to her face to block it out. Before anyone could investigate, however, the lot of them could hear what sounded to be tires screeching. The security cameras that could be seen on the tiny black television above the bar revealed to them a familiar black Cadillac that belonged to the queen of old ladies herself. 

Jax quickly abandoned Ash's side, sensing trouble as he went to greet her. Clay did the same. 

"What the hell?" Chibs asked, seeing their faces. Ash shrugged and rushed to follow them. He followed, along with Bobby. 

"I tried calling you," Gemma could be heard as they pushed open the exit door. She looked like she had just seen death in the flesh. Ash's stomach churned uncomfortably.

"What is it?" Jax asked. 

"Your crazy ex-wife? Found her in a pool of her own blood. Had her rushed to the hospital," Gemma declared, hands on her hips. Jax paled visibly, not saying another word before he took off toward his bike. Ash, Chibs, and Bobby were quick to follow while Clay tried to push his wife for more details, but she couldn't provide much more. Soon, he was joining them, sliding on his helmet and following a frantic Jax to the hospital. Ash was hot on their tails, Chibs and Bobby on either side of her. She could also feel the dread. 

* * *

They arrived to St. Thomas quickly, parking their bikes and throwing off their helmets. Gemma made an effort to park the Cadillac near them, the lot of them running up the stone steps and through the automatic sliding doors. As any hospital would be, it was busy. Jax made a beeline for the front desk, questioning the woman there in a panicky manner, disregarding her protests that he wait and calm down before he go see what was wrong with Wendy. After giving him a floor number, he returned to them and got them all into an elevator.

Ash, who was finally able to grasp her thoughts, leaned on the silver railing available. She ran a hand through her raven hair, trying to keep a positive look on things. Wendy, unlike Opie, Ash knew very well. The two got along very well. She was sweet and hilarious when clean and sober. She and Ash often drank together at Sam Crow parties, laughing at every little thing that happened. But she was always unbalanced with her life. She was known for getting caught with drugs and other shit Jax and the club didn't approve of. The worst thing she did was fall pregnant, holding a precious life within her that didn't get a choice what ran through his veins. And while Jax was not looking forward to fatherhood, he still tried his best to keep a roof over Wendy's head until the baby came. But now this shit? It was an all time low for her. 

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Jax took the lead, and soon they were walking down a thin white hallway past a chapel and toward another pair of doors. Here was a tiny waiting room opposite another hallway with a line of doors, any of them possibly holding Wendy. Corny inspirational posters littered the walls along with diagrams of the human anatomy. For a moment they just stood there wondering when to go next when a familiar face popped up in a doctor's gown. 

Tara Knowles, allegedly Jax's one true love. Wendy often talked about her when she and Ash would drink. Apparently Tara was Jax's high school sweetheart. She practically threw out her yuppie life for him before she decided to hightail it to Chicago and nearly brought him with her. Of course, Wendy was already supposed to have a bad opinion of Tara considering she loved Jax, but Ash also caught a few words from Gemma when anyone brought her up. She had selfishly tried to take Jax away, tried to change him from who he was. Now she was back in Charming. She and Ash have met only once. 

Ash's brakes on her bike had been funky, eventually throwing her off into a ditch at the side of a highway, leaving her ankle sprained and her head split open. After giving Antoine a frantic phone call, he had left the bar, retrieved her and took her to St. Thomas where Tara, of all people, patched her up. Ash could only assume it was because she recognized the kutte she was wearing. 

Tara attempted to make small talk, starting by saying she wasn't aware the Sons of Anarchy were accepting female members. Ash told her they weren't. The only reason Ash got to wear the kutte was because she was stupidly reckless and didn't know when to quit. Tara wasn't really that bad, but Ash knew the doctor was feeling her out, trying to see what she did and didn't know. And Ash wasn't stupid. Well...she wasn't that stupid. 

"What the hell happened?" Jax asked as soon as Tara was close. 

"When was the last time you saw her?" she asked quietly. 

"Couple weeks."

"Her hands and feet were full of tracks. Toxicology reports aren't back yet. Most likely, crank," Tara explained to the best of her ability. She knew if she used any of the medical spiel she was raised on, she'd lose them. Ash gripped her arm in horror. She couldn't believe it. While she was pregnant? What the hell was she thinking? Chibs squeezed her shoulder for comfort. 

"The baby," Jax said suddenly, realizing immediately. 

"We had to do an emergency c-section. He's ten weeks premature," Tara said weakly, her face falling. 

"Holy shit," Jax mumbled, his hand flying up to rub the back of his neck. He wasn't ready for this. He wasn't ready for any of this. 

"C'mon, let's sit down-"

"Just tell me," Jax pleaded, grabbing her sleeve to stop her. 

"He's got a congenital heart defect and gastroschisis-tear in his abdomen. The gastro and early birth are from the drugs, but the CHD is probably-"

"The family flaw," Gemma said, in awe. She touched her chest where a scar from her own heart defect laid. 

"Yes, it's genetic. Either one would be serious, but not life-threatening. However, the two of them together...Dr. Namid gives him a twenty-percent chance. And I'm afraid that's being optimistic," Tara said seriously. 

"Oh, my God," Gemma whispered. Clay reached down and gripped her hand in his. 

"She never wanted to talk to me," Jax said, "I didn't know."

"Her OB said she missed her last three appointments. No one knew," Tara attempted to comfort. "Dr. Namid wants to fix his belly first, then when he stabilizes, he'll go in and repair his heart. I'm sorry, Jax. I can take you to see him now." She goes to lead him to one of the doors down the hallway, but he quickly moves to stop her, speaking to her quietly. While they had their own conversation, Gemma suddenly brought something to their attention. 

"I guess that explains these," she whispered, discreetly pulling out some matches. Ash held her hand out, to which Gemma promptly plopped them down into her palm. "Found these matches next to a bunch o her empty thumb bags. _Hairy Dog_." Ash knew immediately what she was talking about. It was the bar for white trash; basically those who refused to go to _Antoine's_ because the owner wasn't some big, flamboyant black man.

"Shit. Gotta be the Nords," Clay said. "Dealing out of the Dog again."

"Darby got out of Chino weeks ago," Bobby hissed. Ash knew it. He did get out recently. That son of a bitch!

"Call that Nazi prick, set up a meeting," Clay ordered, to which Bobby nodded and pulled out his flip-phone to make the call. 

Jax suddenly returned to them. He saw the matches in Ash's hand, snatching them up. It registered in his mind quicker than it had in theirs. Suddenly he was marching back to the elevator, murder in his eyes. 

"Go with Tara," he called over his shoulder. "I have something to do."

Since Bobby was still on the phone, Gemma quickly shoved at Ash and Chibs. "Watch his back."

"Always," Chibs declared, giving Ash a curt nod as they go to follow their vice-president to what would promisingly be a good rumble. 

The trip down to the lobby took far longer than it had to go up. As soon as the elevator doors opened, Jax was on the way outside. Chibs and Ash struggled to keep up with his long, heavy strides. He kicked his bike into life, throwing on his helmet and speeding off, leaving Chibs and Ash with little to do other than go after him. Today was just a hectic day.


	4. Hate Burns

**[Astrid](https://i.imgur.com/UPQcq1G.gif) Delogne's Point of View**

* * *

Jax's anger practically radiated off of him. Ash and Chibs' bikes weren't too off distance-wise. Granted, Jax had a bit of a headstart to begin with. Ash revved her engine, sitting up slightly and leaning forward as she tried to catch up. In the distance, she could see the chipped wood of the sign for _Hairy Dog_. Ash's heart gave a little leap. She could sense a good brawl coming on, her favorite. They pulled up to the curb where other cars were parked, switching off their bikes. Jax was already inside by the time Chibs and Ash got to the door. They exchanged a look before heading inside. 

It stank of alcohol, weed, and sweat. Clearly the patrons here weren't the type Antoine would let roll up into his establishment. It's incredibly dark inside, despite the sunshine outside. The bar was littered with drunks, whereas the tables were full of customers, all baring inappropriate ink that made Ash's spine tingle. At the back, two pool tables were lined up. There seemed to be a game already going, and those playing were easily recognizable by their tats. Jax was already making the beeline for them.

Ash skillfully leaned down, pulling up her pant leg and grabbing the small pistol she had strapped to it. Chibs already had his own firearm out. Jax casually walked up to the game, grabbing one of the cuesticks off the rack, and spun around to slam it directly into one of the men's torso. He was wearing a white wife-beater, and his arms were littered with offensive words and images, all insinuating the hate he felt for minorities. He yelled out in shock, doubling over almost instantly. His buddies all advanced on Jax, ready to interfere. They stopped as soon as Chibs and Ash pointed their guns to their heads. 

"Easy, boys," Chibs coaxed quietly. 

"SELL CRANK TO MY PREGNANT EX-WIFE?" Jax roared angrily, completely unaware of everything around him as he repeatedly hit the man with the stick, eventually breaking it in half before he jammed it into his nether regions. The man elicited a broken cry, clutching his groin as he writhed on the ground. 

The men around growled angrily, completely helpess with aiding their friend. 

"Oh, calm down, boys. It's the only baby maker going kaput for now. But I can make an exception," Ash sang, lowering her gun so she pointed it towards one of their crotches. He instinctively covered them, scowling at her threateningly. 

"Bitch," he spat. 

"And what of it?" Ash taunted, having to up her volume due to the cries from the man below her feet. Chibs eventually had to pull their vice-president off, knowing well and good enough was enough. Ash was slightly disappointed. Not that she wanted Nord blood to spill indefinitely to send a message to Darby, but she wouldn't...not want it. They were hateful men, willing to sell whatever it took for money. Not to mention she knew some of them have plotted multiple times to storm _Antoine's_ and take him out, all because of who he was. He paid them no mind. Ash always remained alert. 

"Point made, brother," Chibs assured, keeping Jax clasped to his chest until he was sure he could be released. Ash kept her gun up, smirking smugly at the men. Jax eventually got free of Chibs' hold, looking around him before spitting angrily on the man below. Chibs copied him, staring down at the withered man in absolute disgust. Deciding to overdo it like she always does, Ash smirks and aims a kick straight for his head. He groaned and went limp, unconscious. The men all cried out in anger, moving to grab her, but Chibs had his gun up as well as they backed out of the bar.

"It's alright, boys. Debt was paid. All is well," he said, leaning forward and grabbing Ash aggressively by the back of her kutte to make her move faster. He looked around at the rest of the customers, all who watched them in awe. "No worries, people, everything is fine. Return to your lunches."

"Nazi pricks!" Ash called out just as she was yanked out of the establishment at last, moving back out onto the concrete. 

"Lass, you never know when to quit! That's the kinda shit that's gonna get ya killed!" Chibs scolded, smacking her upside the head. 

"That asshole is the reason Wendy's under the knife! And for the kid-" Ash was quick to catch herself, her hand flying to her mouth as she turned to where Jax sat, watching them from astride his bike. "Jax...Jax, I-"

"Gonna go find Op," he cut her off. He didn't sound angry at her, but Ash couldn't be too sure. He kicked his bike into life and took off in the opposite direction. 

"I really didn't mean that," Ash said weakly, her hands still covering her mouth. 

"He's just riled up, Ash. Give him some time. We should head back. Clay'll wanna make sure we didn't up and take the man completely out," Chibs said, jumping onto his bike. Ash followed suit onto Dolly, watching the street hopelessly that Jax had previously ridden on. Shaking her head, she turned down the opposite way and took off, Chibs right beside her. 

* * *

The clubhouse was rampant with activity. It was a busy day, and there were more customers than employees at the moment. Ash would normally pitch in, but she looked much better lounging on one of the steel tables in the back, sipping at her coffee and handing Tig a tool whenever he asked for it. Her sunglasses laid perched on her nose while the radio beside her blasted their favorite station. Nothing could ever beat _Aerosmith_. 

As Steven Tyler made inhuman vocals, Tig finally looked up at her from the Buick he was working on. The entire front of his uniform was stained in patches of inky black, sweat lining his forehead. Personally, he looked disgusting. Ash fought off a grimace. 

"I ain't done listenin'. Then what happened?" he grunted, beckoning toward the pliers in her free hand. She handed it over, taking the wrench from him and twirling it through her fingers just before it clattered to the ground with an echoing bang from its weight. She winced, taking another sip from her beverage. 

"Then we headed out. Jax went to find Op, and Chibs and I came back here. They couldn't really do much, if I'm bein' honest with you." She was telling him what happened after they went to the hospital. She left out the part where she accidentally talked way more than she should have and possibly made Jax feel even worse than he already was. "Odds are Darby's gonna be pretty heated at the meeting that Bobby set up."

"Shit bag deserves it," Tig scoffs. 

"True, but I'm not gonna write off the fact that Wendy had a hand in that, too. She should've stayed clean," Ash said, leaning back and swinging her legs back and forth. 

"C'mon, give the chick a break. Jax's been AWOL since he found out he knocked her up," Tig said quietly, making sure nobody heard. He only trusted Ash with these harsh truths, knowing well she wouldn't expose his secrets. That was how she found out a majority of things about her brothers in arms, although it was mostly about Bobby. Ash mostly just saved that information for a rainy day if he ended up pissing her off, but it was difficult to stay mad at Bobby for long, anyway. 

" _Ash! Astrid!_ "

Ash coughed and sputtered. The coffee she had been drinking flew down the wrong pipe in her hurry, causing her to heave, slamming her fist repeatedly into her own chest whilst Tig pointed and laughed at her. Half-Sack finally appeared, looking slightly worried. He stopped when he happened upon the scene of Ash fighting for her life while Tig doubled over in his cruel laughter. 

"Um...am I...Ash," Half-Sack said again, shaking his head. "There's...Deputy Hale's looking for you." 

When Ash finally got a good handle on herself, she looked up. Her voice sounded extremely strained from the coughing as she asked, "H-Hale? Why the hell is Hale lookin' for me? Where is he?"

"He's in the parking lot." 

"No shit?" Tig asked, wiping a tear from his eye. His amused smile slowly slipped upside down. "He tell you why he's lookin' for Ash?"

"Didn't give much specifics. Just asked specifically for her. Used her real name, too."

"That asshole always refuses to call me Ash," Ash snorts, hopping off the table. She tried her best to wipe the front of her shirt where the coffee stains were quickly drying. 

"Want me to go with you?" Tig offered. 

"Nah, it's just Hale. Maybe we'll end up screwing in the back of his squad jeep." Ash winked, before passing Half-Sack and exiting the garage out into the parking lot. Sure enough, she could see David Hale leaning against his vehicle, all dressed to impress in his uniform with his head perfectly shaved and impossibly blue eyes immediately focusing on her. 

As Ash said before, David Hale always seemed to hate her the most when it came to his feelings for the Sons. Ash could never really pinpoint why. She was just as rowdy as the boys, but she never really stood out the way Clay or Jax did. She had to remind herself, however, that even when she didn't want to stand out, she couldn't help but do so anyhow. Being the sole female member of the club painted an easy target on her tatted back. Other clubs saw her as the enemy. Hale saw her as a nuisance. 

"Hey, Davy," Ash greeted, grinning fondly as she came into earshot. "Taking the day off for a nooner?"

He grimaced. "Actually, I'm here on account of a nasty bar fight that went on at _Hairy Dog_. You happen to know the place?"

"Mm...white-trash bar for white-trash people. Sounds familiar. Not my cup of tea, personally. As a loyal waitress, I'm legally obligated to only hype up _Antoine's_. That, and Antoine would cut my tits off." Ash shrugged. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, the patrons of that white-trash bar gave a good description of who went in there and started trouble."

"Hot girl with good tits?" Ash guessed. 

"Annoying bitch wearing a kutte were the words precisely used, actually. Not that far off point," Hale commented, keeping his tone friendly, despite the topic. He looked over her shoulder, which made her turn to see Tig, Half-Sack, and Chibs standing close together and watching their exchange. Tig was twirling a wrench in his hand, glowering at Hale. 

"Mm, sounds like someone I'd know. Unfortunately, I ain't got nothing to do with any kind of bar fight."

"I beg to differ. Any fight that goes down in Charming one way or another stems back to the Sons of Anarchy."

"That's a bit of a stereotype, Davy, I'm offended," Ash pouted, clutching the front of her shirt. "Are you here to arrest me or not? This flirting's only working one angle, and you're not giving me much to work with here."

David shook his head, clearly frustrated. "No...I'm just here to clear the air. If you don't know, once Unser steps down, I'll be appointed chief deputy."

"Does your badge get upgraded with the promotion, or can Charming not afford the engraving?" Ash asked. 

David leaned in close, so close they were practically nose to nose. Ash's excellent ears could sense that Tig, Chibs, and Half-Sack were fast approaching, not appreciating the way she was being treated. 

"It means...all this shit that you and your men put Charming through won't be ignored. Any bar fights with your name written on them, I'll throw your perky little ass into a jail cell faster than you can make any other sexual remark."

"And then you get me all alone, don't you, Davy?" Ash retorts, brushing his nose with her own. He immediately stepped back, not liking the skin to skin contact. "Look, I don't know what you're hoping to find, Hale, really. We're motorcycle enthusiasts. And I just like having all these men to myself." 

He snorts, shaking his head and looking away. It seemed he regretted coming here. "If I catch you doing anything wrong, Delogne, you'll be in cuffs." He turned around, opening the driver side door and hopping up onto the seat. He jammed the key into the ignition and started it up. 

"It's a date, Davy!" Ash called, waving to him as he began to pull out. At that time, Tig, Chibs, and Half-Sack got to her. 

"The hell was that about?" Tig demanded. 

"Hale's getting too big for his britches. Unser needs to figure out how to get that boy strapped to his desk and out of our asses." Ash snaps under her breath, her eyes not leaving the retreating jeep. "He said he was given a description of me at _Hairy Dog_."

"That bastard don't know shite. And anyway, why the hell wasn't I called, too? I was there swingin' my dick just as much," Chibs scoffed. 

"Because you have to dick to swing around to begin with. The asshole's been gunning for me since I came to Charming."

"Maybe you should suck him off. Make him like you," Tig joked. 

"Tried that beanstalk already. Doesn't move an inch for me," Ash shrugged. Half-Sack looked slightly disgusted. "Let's get back to work. I'll tell Clay about our little encounter when he gets back from the hospital."

"Right-o," Chibs agreed. The four of them strolled back into the garage, but David Hale had yet to leave Ash's mind. 

* * *

"That asshole did _what?_ " Clay demanded. 

They were at church at the moment. Opie had actually joined them at the table, sitting calmly at the very end beside his father, adorned in his normal attire with his cutte and a black beanie covering his head. They were mostly discussing the meeting with Darby that was set for tomorrow morning(Ash would be going as well), and they talked about the likeliness of Darby trying to take over Charming, but Piney seemed to brush it off. Clay, however, seemed more alert on the manner. They were gathering new recruits, according to Bobby, however. And Ash felt that was a rather big move considering he just got out of the joint two weeks ago.

She just concluded the high tale of David Hale pulling into _Teller-Morrow's_ to pull her aside and make threats. All those, excluding Tig and Chibs, responded with insults and curses directed at him. 

"I think he's trying to give us the heads up so he doesn't catch us by surprise. Just wanna know why he only mentioned me at the bar and not Jax and Chibs. Not that I want them in the ringer for booking, but why target me? What the hell does Hale want with me?" Ash asked, flicking her cigarette for the ash to fall. She brought it to her lips again, taking a long drag. 

"Because you're the chick. You piss him off more than any of us," Tig suggested. 

"You sayin' Hale's got a problem with me havin' a pussy?" Ash snorted. 

"Maybe. Or maybe he's got a hard-on for you," Tig snorted. Happy and Juice snickered under their breaths. Ash mimicked their laughter, flicking Tig off. 

"Just avoid him for now. He's gonna look for any reason to put you behind bars. Don't let that asshole get what he wants." Clay said. "And if he does have a hard-on for you. Go ahead and help him out. Maybe he'll finally stop riding our dicks so much."

"C'mon, you guys," Ash grumbled in horror. They all howled with laughter. The only one who wasn't laughing was Opie, but he was smiling and rolling his eyes. 

"Meeting adjourned," Clay announced.

Ash sighed as she got to her feet, pressing her finished cigarette out on the ash tray. David Hale was screwing with her, but they seemed to brush it off. Maybe she was just being paranoid. There really was no reason for him to hate her in particular. And, if anything, he'd be gunning for Clay and Jax more than her. She wasn't a front runner. Not like them. 

She walked out of the chapel. 

She wasn't nearly as important. 


End file.
